FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention directs itself to a protocol for communication on a synchronous broadcast communications channel, such as in multi-media networks. In particular, this invention directs itself to a protocol for mixed voice and data transmission on a synchronous broadcast communications channel. More in particular, this invention directs itself to a protocol wherein both voice and data users contend for any of the time slots of a time division frame. Further, the protocol makes use of a plurality of bits in a preamble which is transmitted with every packet to identify the status of the time slot and the priority of the user. Still further, the protocol permits data users to utilize time slots reserved for a voice user, when that voice user is in a silence period, to thereby increase the throughput of the communications network.